Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Top 10 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Performances!

We cannot deny we have become huge fans of Dwayne Johnson recently. He won us over with his flashy smile, his beaming charisma, his Instagram videos, and of course, his penchant for doing good in this world. It's nearly impossible to hate the man! Formerly known as "The Rock," Johnson transitioned from the world of wrestling to the world of movies rather seamlessly, becoming one of the biggest stars in Hollywood over the last few years.

We decided to watch ALL of Johnson's films and compile our top 10 favorite movie roles featuring the man himself before his latest flick, "Central Intelligence," which debuts in cinemas nationwide on June 17th, 2016. Here you go, please enjoy!


10) Elliot Wilhelm from "Be Cool" - We fully admit that we don't like the movie "Be Cool." In fact, we really dislike it. However, the film as a whole would be far more terrible if it weren't for Dwayne Johnson's character Elliot Wilhelm. In fact, The Rock elevates the stagnant material found in the movie's screenplay and makes it that much more tolerable. Elliot is an aspiring actor gay cowboy bodyguard who loves to sing and dance. The Rock plays this role really well, and his scenes were the only ones that gave us a smile while we watched this unnecessary sequel.
9) Chris Vaughn from "Walking Tall" - Way back when Johnson was starting his career, he made a film called "Walking Tall," a basic, short, and simple action movie, but his role did not go unnoticed to us. He plays Chris Vaughn here, a cop who is tired of the corruption in his hometown and vows to do something about it. Alongside Johnny Knoxville, with whom he has surprisingly good chemistry, Johnson's Vaughn takes names, kicks ass, and cleans up crime with his guns, both kinds, if you know what we mean. The simple action flick is what made Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson the superstar he is today.
8) Beck from "The Rundown" - Another fun but silly and mindless action film, the role of Beck in the movie "The Rundown" allows Johnson to do what he does best: be charming. Even though he's a muscle-for-hire, Beck is still full of bright, bubbling, self-effacing charisma, and you can't help but like him and support him in whatever job he's doing. Action movie physics aside, it's always fun to watch Johnson walk away from a huge gunfight unscathed.
7) Joe Kingman from "The Game Plan" - Sure, "The Game Plan" is one of the sappiest movies we've ever seen, but that doesn't mean it's devoid of good performances. Johnson plays Joe Kingman, a selfish, narcissistic football player without a care in the world. Joe is the kind of guy who smiles at himself in the mirror, refers to himself in the third person, and owns fancy art of himself in his mega-mansion. Who better to play a part like this than the actual guy who did this in the WWE?! Joe's world is turned upside down when he discovers he has an 8-year old daughter. The Rock makes this role his own, even if the material is run-of-the-mill. We believe Johnson as someone who would make the transition from jerk jock to caring parent, all while maintaining his toothy smile and charisma.
6) Agent 23 from "Get Smart" - Though he's only a secondary character in "Get Smart," Johnson plays Agent 23, the physically buff, mentally tough idol of Maxwell Smart, like the role was tailor-made for him. Agent 23 uses his charm and charisma to make both Smart and the audience smile at his antics and his muscles. Johnson, of course, is perfect for this role.
5) Paul Doyle from "Pain & Gain" - Part of a trio of clueless meatheads looking to get rich quick, Johnson's portrayal of Paul Doyle in "Pain & Gain" is quite memorable to us. Alongside Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Mackie, Johnson's character Doyle fumbles and bumbles his way around the various crimes they commit, being both laughable and horrible at the same time. Doyle is a cokehead pacifist Christian murderer, if that makes any sense, and The Rock is the only actor capable of pulling off such a, well, nuanced part. If you're afraid of the phrase "directed by Michael Bay" like we are, give this one a chance to change your mind, at least for The Rock's sake.
4) Boxer Santaros from "Southland Tales" - We're not going to pretend we understood "Southland Tales" in the slightest. It's a bizarre avant garde type of movie with very few viewers in mind. That being said, Dwayne Johnson's character Boxer Santaros is an actor who has been kidnapped and is stricken with amnesia who has to travel through time during the third world war. Still with us? The director of this film specifically looked for actors who has been typecast into other parts, and while Johnson is still technically playing a tatted up big time action star, boy, this is project something different. Johnson is interesting and captivating here.
3) Hercules from "Hercules" - We get it, some people hate "Hercules." Some people will judge us simply because we enjoyed this movie, but frankly, we don't care. Oiled up with glistening muscles and a fluctuating accent, The Rock and his almost entirely CGI world kick some serious butt in this fun look at the legend of Hercules. It's purely a popcorn flick, so don't think about it too terribly hard!
2) Driver from "Faster" - This one is a complete surprise to us. We hadn't heard of this movie until we decided we were going to do a top 10 list for The Rock, and it quickly became one of our favorite performances of his. As Driver, Johnson stares down his enemies on a quest to avenge his brother's death as he takes the phrase"Boom! Headshot!" to new heights. Laced with bullets, bad language, and of course, driving, if you like a good action movie starring one of action's best, "Faster" is just the thing you need for an adrenaline rush.

And our number one favorite Dwayne Johnson role is..............................
1) Hobbs from the "Fast and the Furious" series - The quintessential Dwayne Johnson role. Hobbs is everything that we like about The Rock: he's tough, he's mean, he maintains his charm, and he gets to hold a B.F.G. He started out as an enemy, pursuing Dominic Toretto and his crew, only to become a friend and close ally of the group. He flexed himself out of a cast and shot an entire bag of grenades to save his friends in "Furious 7," but he's also smart, calculated, and knowledgeable in the crew's fight against the Shaw brothers. He is fearsome, fierce, and loyal, but can also crack a joke when he needs to. Johnson as Hobbs is the definition of what we call a "Rock Role," and thus, is our favorite of them all!

1 comment:

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